Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many residents are eating more meals at home.

Cooking can be a fun and creative endeavor that the whole family can join in on.

The Chilton County Extension Office demonstrated that cooks can be of any age as it hosted its annual 4-H Beef Cook-off in early March at the Jemison Municipal Complex.

It was a countywide event that featured 29 4-H students from various schools in the county and their beef dishes.

“The 4-H Beef Cook-off, hosted by the Chilton County Extension Office, is designed to help young people learn more about the beef industry, the nutritional benefits of beef, how to read and understand recipes, how to accurately measure ingredients and how to handle and prepare foods safely,” Chilton County Extension Coordinator Gay West said.

Each of those aspects were used by students in the preparation of their dishes.

Lucas Jones of Jemison High School won the senior division with his Grey Rock beef kabobs, and Hannah Chambers of Maplesville High School came home in second.

Korean ground beef stir fry cooked by Trivonna Abbott of Maplesville High School was a favorite of the judges and earned her first place in the junior division, while Lauren Jones of Jemison High School was second and Michael Hann of Clanton Middle School was third.

The junior division finalists included Trivonna Abbott as the winner, Lauren Jones of Jemison High School in second place and Michael Hann of Clanton Middle School in third place. (Contributed photo)

Both Lucas Jones and Abbott were presented ribbons and prize money from the Chilton County Farmer’s Federation following their triumphs.

All other participants were awarded a small gift and a ribbon commemorating participation in the event.

West thanked Family and Consumer Science teachers Nicole Minshew of Clanton Middle School, Raynette Ellison of Jemison High School and Teresa Stewart of Maplesville High School for their support of the event.

She also acknowledged the City of Jemison for providing the event space and the volunteer judges and Chilton County Master Gardeners for offering their time.

For more information about 4-H and the programs it offers, contact Janet Lovelady at 256-284-3572 or email her at lovelj1@aces.edu.

The following were the winning recipes from the junior and senior divisions:

Korean Ground Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 zucchini, sliced

½ cup sugar snap peas

½ cup shredded carrots

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon pepper

Sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions:

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and garlic, breaking it into crumbles over medium heat until no longer pink. Remove the ground beef and set aside on a plate. Drain the grease and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add bell pepper, zucchini, snap peas, carrots and mushrooms. Sauté 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add the ground beef back to the skillet. In a small bowl, whisk the brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper. Pour over the ground beef and let simmer for another minute or two. Serve over hot rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Grey Rock Beef Kabobs

1 pound cubed beef tenderloin

1 red onion, cut in large pieces

2 bell peppers of different colors, cut in large pieces

1 cup whole mushrooms, halved

1 cup fresh pineapple, cubed

Marinade:

1 cup soy sauce

2 Tablespoons honey

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Splash of hot sauce

Mix marinade and marinate beef pieces for 1-2 hours. Assemble the kabobs with meat and vegetables. Grill for 5 minutes on each side.